Loose-leaf binder



Aug. 20, 1940. J. A. STEELE LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Feb 20, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet 1 azzz zz IHYENTUR JOHN/I. STEELE A'I'TDHNEY s- 20, 1940-J. A. STEELE 2,212,380

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Feb. 20, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 InvEnTuR Jmm A.5'IEE LE ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 20, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEMcMillan Book Company, Syracuse, N.

corporation of New York Application February 20, 1939, Serial No.257,391

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a loose-leaf binder in whichseparable prong carriers provided with impaling prongs are mounted formovement toward and away from each other to move the prongs to and fromthe closed position for releasably securing loose leaves in book form.

The main object of the invention is to provide a loose-leaf binder ofthe split ring or prong type which is economical, durable and simple inconstruction and which is simple, easy and positive in operation.

In carrying out the above mentioned object, I have provided a pair ofprong carriers one for each set of prongs and have mounted thesecarriers in interlaced sliding relation with each other to form a selfsupporting binder unit.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide simple meansconnected with the prong carriers for producing lateral movement withrespect to each other for moving the prongs carried thereby into and outof operative engagement with each other.

Another object of the invention is to form the prong carriers fromstrips of sheet metal and to provide such strips with integral meansstamped therefrom for guiding the same during the lateral movementthereof in bringing the prongs into and out of operative engagement witheach other.

A further object of the invention resides in forming the prongsintegrally with the prong carriers.

A still further object of the invention is to form the prong carriersinterchangeable so that the two sections for a binder may be stampedfrom a single die mechanism.

I attain these objects by mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a loose leaf binder comprising thevarious features of this invention, the binder being shown in the openposition and portions of the cover membersbeing broken away and insection.

Figures 2 and 3 are detail transverse sectional views taken,respectively, in the planes of .lines 2-2 and 33 of Figure 1. Figure 4is a horizontal sectional view of one end portion of the binder shown inFigure 1.

Figure 5'is an exploded perspective view illustrating one end portion ofthe prong carriers and a corresponding portion of the cam slide formoving said carriers toward and from each other.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating a modified form ofactuating means for the prong carriers illustrated in Figure 1,said'carcarrying mechanism 29 as carrier 30 or 3|.

riers being in their innermost or closed position.

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view of one end portion of the prongcarriers and the means for actuating the same, as shown in Figure 6,with the carriers in the open or extended position.

Figure 8 is a detail transverse sectional view taken substantially online 8-8, Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view similar to Figure 6 illustratinga still further modified form of actuating means for moving the prongcarriers toward and from each other, said carriers being shown in theirinnermost or closed position.

Figure 10 is a horizontal sectional view, similar to Figure 9,illustrating the prong carriers in an extended or open position.

Figure 11 is a detail longitudinal sectional view taken substantially online H! I, Figure 9.

The loose-leaf binder, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, comprisesa cover 20 which, as is customary in this particular class of binder, iscomposed of flexible or semi-flexible material. The cover is composed ofa central or medial por-. tion 2| forming the back of the binder and twoside portions 24 and 25 forming the sides of the binder.

The leaf carrying mechanism 29 comprises a I pair of separable prongcarriers 30 and 3! one or which is fastened to the inner face of theback portion 2| of the cover. The members 30 and iii are adapted forlateral movement with respect to each other to bring the prongs 32thereof into operative engagement with each other to form rings or toseparate the prongs to put in or take out leaves. Each of the carriers36 and 3! com-. prises a flat, rectangular base plate 34 having onelongitudinal edge thereof bent laterally toprovide a relatively narrowupwardly extending flange 35 integral therewith. The upper edge ofeach'flange 35 is provided with a plurality of up wardly extendingprongs 32 which have the upper end portions thereof'bent inwardly toextend over the base plate portion 34.

Each base plate and its prongs are stamped from a strip of sheet metalso that the base plate 34, flange 35 and prongs 32 constitute anintegral unit. Furthermore, the base plate 34, flange 35 and prongs 32are so constructed and related that each such unit may be used at eitherside of the The base plates. 3 are each provided with a plurality ofslots 36 which are arranged in substantially uniform spaced relation toeach other longitudinally of the plate. These slots 36 extend inwardlyfrom the inner longitudinal edge of the plate toward the flange member35 to within a short distance of said flange member so as to provide aplurality of plate sections 31 and 38 arranged in alternate relationwith each other. The plate sections 37 extend laterally from the bottomedge of the flange 35 in substantially the plane of said flange edgewhile the plate sections 33 are stamped upwardly with respect to thebottom edge of the flange so as to extend inwardly from the flange abovethe plane of the upper face of the plate sections 37, as indicated inFigures 2 and 3. Thus the raised plate sections 38 define recesses 37over the adjacent lower plate sections 3'3.

When the carriers 35 and 3! are assembled, the raised plate sections 38of the carrier 30 overlie the lower plate sections 37 and rest in therecesses Sl of the carrier 3! and the raised plate sections of carrier35 overlie thelower plate sections 3'5 and rest in the recesses 31 ofthe carrier 30. The raised plate sections 38 of carrier 38 then lieadjacent to and in the same plane as the raised plate sections 38 of thecarrier 3!. The lower plate sections 3! of the carriers are similarlydisposed toward each other. Thus the staggered plate sections 37 and 38of the carriers 55 and iii are interlaced above and below each other andthe raised sections 38 are alternately tongued in the recesses 37 of theopposite carrier so that, when assembled, the carriers formaself-supporting, self-guiding structure, within the limits of relativelateral movement necessary for separating the prongs to file leaves inthe binder. Since no other support, back plate or guide member isneeded, the cover 20 may be secured directly to one of the carriers, as30, by rivets 55 extending through holes provided in several of theplate sections 3?.

The upper ends of the rivets 45 are swaged, as illustrated in Figure 2,and the corresponding plate sections 38 of the carrier 3! are providedwith elongated slots 32 which extend outwardly from the innerlongitudinal edge thereof to avoid interference with said swaged rivetends.

Mounted over the base plates 34 is a shift bar or cam plate 45. Thisshift bar or plate 45 extends longitudinally of the base plates 34 andis of such a width as to be readily received between the flanges 35 ofthe base plates when said base plates are in their innermost positionswith respect to each other. The shift bar or plate 45 is provided withtwo pairs of cam slots 56 and 47. The cam slots 45 and t! of each pairextend longitudinally of the bar and have the opposite end portions itand 59 thereof arranged in substantially parallel relation with eachother at opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the bar.

The end portions 58 are arranged in close proximity to each otheradjacent the center of the bar while the end portions 45 are spaced fromeach other and arranged in close proximity to the longitudinal sideedges of the bar. The end portions 38 and 55 are connected with eachother by a transversely disposed portion 50.

The base plates 34 are operatively connected with the shift bar or plate55 by means of drive members in the form of pins or studs 52 and 53connected with said base plates and which extend upwardly through thecam slots 46 and lil. The pins or studs 52 are secured to correspondingraised plate sections 58 of the carrier 35 and extend upwardly throughthe cam slots 45 while the pins or studs 53 are secured to correspondingplate sections 31 of the carrier 3| and extend upwardly through the camslots 41 of the shift plate 45. The plate sections 38 of the carrier 3|aligned with the pins or studs 53 are provided with elongated slots 55through which these pins or studs extend, as indicated in Figure 3.

It will now be observed that longitudinal movement of the shift plate orbar 45 with respect to the carriers 35 and 3! will produce acorresponding transverse movement of said carriers with respect to eachother due to the movement of the pins or studs 52 and 53 through the camslots 45 and 51. In order that the shift bar or plate 55 may be readilymoved longitudinally with respect to the carriers, one end of said plateor bar is provided with an upwardly extending fingerpiece 57 as shownmore particularly in Figures 1, 4 and 5.

It will now be obvious that, inasmuch as one of the carriers 30 issecured to the center portion 28 of the cover 20 by the rivets ill,longitudinal movement of the shift bar or plate 45 will produce acorresponding lateral movement of the other carrier 5!. In other words,the carrier 3| may move from the closed position, as indicated by fulllines in Figure 2, to the open position, as indicated by broken lines insaid figure, during the movement of the shift plate 55 outwardly withrespect to the carriers 30 and 3!. During the longitudinal movement ofthe shift plate, said plate will also have a transverse movement withrespect to the fixed carrier 35 due to the movement of the pins 52 alongthe cam slots 46, as indicated by broken lines in Figure 4.

Furthermore, it will be obvious that the carriers will be locked againsttransverse movement inclusive, I utilize two shift bars or platesinstead of one as in the structure above described. These shift plates50 are relatively short members mounted for longitudinal slidingmovement over corresponding end portions of the base plates 34. Eachshift bar or plate 50 comprises a central body portion 5i, an inwardlyextending guide portion 62 and an outwardly extending finger portion 63.

The body portion 6| is of substantially the same width as the distancebetween the upwardly extending flanges 35 of the base plates 35 whensaid base plates are in their innermost positions 7 with respect to eachother so as to have a free sliding movement longitudinally of the baseplates. Each body portion is provided with a pair of cam slots 45 and Hconstructed similar to the cam slots 36 .and 47 shown in Figures 1, 4and 5. These cam slots are operatively connected with the base plates 34by the pins or studs 52 and 53.

The guide portion 62 of each shift bar or plate 65 is provided with acam slot 46 extending longitudinally thereof in substantial alignmentwith the cam slot 45 provided in the body portion of the correspondingshift bar or plate. The cam slots 45 provided in the shift bar or platepositioned at the left-hand side of the binder, as illustrated inFigures 6 and '7, are operatively connected with the base plate 34' ofthe carrier .30 by pins or studs 52 which are mounted as shown in Figure8, in corresponding plate section 38 of said base plate.

The cam slot 41 provided inthe shift bar or plate mounted at theleft-hand end of the binder, as illustrated in Figure 6, is operativelyconnected with the base plate 34 of the carrier 3! by a stud 53 securedto the plate section 31 of said carrier as illustrated in Figure 8. i

It will be understood that the cam slots 46 and 41 of the shift platemounted at the right-hand end of the binder are connected in 'a. similarmanner with the base plates of carriers 30 and 3|, respectively.

It will now be observed that the carriers 30 and 3| may be relativelymoved laterally toward and from each other by the longitudinal movementof both of the shift bars or plates 60 with respect to the base plates34. Furthermore, it will be observed that the carriers will be securelymaintained in either their outermost or innermost position with respectto each other due to the engagement of the studs or pins 52 and 53 withthe parallel end portions 48 and 49 of the cam slots 46 and 4?.

In the structures shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11, I have illustratedastill further modified form of shifting members for producingtransverse relative movement of the carriers 30 and 3|. These shiftingmembers, as 10, are in the form of cam plates or disks which are mountedone adjacent either end of the carriers. Each shift disk 10 issubstantially equal to the distance between the flanges 35 of the baseplates 34' when said base plates are in their innermost positions withrespect to each other. Each shift disk 10 is pivotally connected withthe base plate 34 of one of the carriers by a stud H which extendsthrough a suitable aperture provided in the disk in eccentric relationthereto.

I order that the base plate 34 of the carrier 3| may readily movelaterally with respect to the carrier 30, the end sections 38 alignedwith the studs H are provided with elongated slots 12 for receiving thestud H therethrough. Each shifting disk It! is also connected with thesecond carrier by a pin or stud 13 which is secured in the plate section38 overlying the end plate section 31 and extends upwardly through a camslot 14 provided in the corresponding shift disk 10.

The cam slot 14 is preferably constructed as shown in Figures 9 and 10in substantially concentric relation with the shift disk and, therefore,in eccentric relation with the pivot H for said disk. In the structureshown in these three views, 9, l0 and H, thecarriers are moved laterallywith respect to each other by merely rotating the shift disks l0 and, inorder that said disks .may be readily manually rotated, each is providedwith a projection 15 which extends from one side thereof adjacent thepivot H and.

is provided with an upwardly extended fingerpiece 16.

Although I have shown and particularly described the preferredembodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the exactconstruction shown as various changes in. the form and relation of theparts thereof may readily be made without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a loose-leaf binder having a cover, a selfsupporting binder unitcomprising a pair of interchangeable prong carriers, each having a baseportion and leaf binding prongs formed integrally therewith, saidcarriers being arranged for relative transverse movement to bring saidprongs from a closed ring-like position to an open spaced apartposition, means integral with said base portions for guiding saidtransverse movement and for supporting said binder unit in the plane ofsaid movement including a plurality of transverse raised sectionsdefined by slots at each side and spaced apart a distancesubstantiallyequal to their width and arranged so that the bases of saidcarriers interlace with said guiding means and lie in two adjacentparallel planes, and means operatively connected with said carriers fortransversely moving said carriers.

2. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said last named meansincludes a single cam plate movable longitudinally of said carriers andhaving a plurality of cam slots positioned and arranged to cooperatewith drive members secured to said carriers.

3. In a loose-leaf binder having a cover, a.

self-supporting binder unit comprising a pair of interchangeable prongcarriers, each having a base portion and leaf binding prongs formedintegrally therewith, said carriers being arranged for relativetransverse movement to bring said prongs from a closed ring-likeposition to an open spaced apart position, means integral with said baseportions for guiding said transverse movement and for supporting saidbinder unit in the plane of said movement including a plurality oftransverse raised sections defined by slots at each side and spacedapart a distance substantially equal to their width and arranged so thatthe bases of said carriers interlace with said guiding means and lie intwo adjacent parallel planes, a pair of cam plates movably mounted onsaid carriers positioned at opposite ends thereof, each of said camplates being provided With a plurality of cam slots, and drive meansfixedly secured to said carriers positioned and arranged to cooperatewith said cam slots so that movement of said cam plates will causerelativetransverse movement between said carriers.

4. In a loose-leaf binder having a cover, a selfsupporting binder unitcomprising a pair of interchangeable prong carriers, each having a baseportion and leaf binding prongs formed integrally therewith, saidcarriers being arranged for relative transverse movement to bring saidprongs from a closed ring-like position to an open spaced apartposition, means integral with said base portions for guiding saidtransverse movement and for supporting said binder unit in the plane ofsaid movement including a plurality of transverse raised sectionsdefined by slots at each side and spaced apart a distance substantiallyequal to their width and arranged so that the bases of said carriersinterlace with said guiding means and lie in two adjacent parallelplanes, means for producing relative transverse movement of saidcarriers comprising a shift plate rotatably mounted on one of saidcarriers, and means operatively connecting said shift plate with theother of said carriers.

JOHN A. STEELE.

